The Six Wives of Henry VIII 

A six-episode dramatization of Henry VIII's relationships with each of his six wives. Each episode is devoted to one wife, and is a complete play in itself.

Stars:

Keith Michell, Anthony Quayle, Patrick Troughton

Won 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 6 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Keith Michell	...	Henry VIII 6 episodes, 1970
Anthony Quayle	...	Narrator 6 episodes, 1970
Patrick Troughton	...	Duke of Norfolk 5 episodes, 1970
Bernard Hepton	...	Archbishop Thomas Cranmer 4 episodes, 1970
Sheila Burrell	...	Lady Rochford 3 episodes, 1970
Basil Dignam	...	Bishop Gardiner 3 episodes, 1970
Wolfe Morris	...	Thomas Cromwell 3 episodes, 1970
Angela Pleasence	...	Catherine Howard 2 episodes, 1970
Anne Stallybrass	...	Jane Seymour 2 episodes, 1970
Dorothy Tutin	...	Anne Boleyn 2 episodes, 1970
Daniel Moynihan	...	Edward Seymour (Lord Hertford) 2 episodes, 1970
John Ronane	...	Thomas Seymour 2 episodes, 1970
Howard Goorney	...	Will Somers 2 episodes, 1970
Patrick Godfrey	...	Sir Thomas Wriothesley 2 episodes, 1970
Alison Frazer	...	Princess Mary 2 episodes, 1970
Edward Atienza	...	Eustache Chapuys 2 episodes, 1970

Storyline

A six-episode dramatization of Henry VIII's relationships with each of his six wives. Each episode is devoted to one wife, and is a complete play in itself.

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Plot Keywords:

line of succession | husband wife relationship | catherine of aragon | anne boleyn | tv mini series | 

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Taglines:

King Henry VIII was famous for his insatiable appetite. At table. And at the altar. A man of incontestable will, his pursuit of pleasure and a suitable heir ultimately led him to separate church from state, and wife from head. In a series of six dramatic specials, the man and the turbulent age he dominated spring vividly to life. Seen through the eyes of the women who aroused his passion and suffered his displeasure. Keith Michell stars as Henry.

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Genres:

Drama | History | Romance

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 August 1971 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Six Wives of Henry VIII

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Bloomfield worked for nearly a year on the series. He spent three months doing basic research at the National Portrait Gallery, Windsor Castle, and various libraries, going through books and papers, and studying paintings and drawings, especially those by Hans Holbein. Apart from the sheer number of costumes involved (300, including 25 for Henry), the real challenge was to recreate the richness of court dress. This was accomplished by using screen printing methods with paints and resins on cheap heavy materials. Embossed fabric patterns were achieved by drawing on the basic material with fiber pens, then painting over it.

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Connections

Version of The Six Wives of Henry Lefay (2009)

User Reviews

Hypnotic for lovers of drama, romance, and history

I first saw this BBC production at 13 in 1971, and was simply fascinated. I have seen it several times since, and it's always fresh and interesting to watch. Keith Mitchell is excellent as Henry VIII, and I found no fault with the acting or history of the series. Well-cast, well-acted. I must say that my favorite episodes were Dorothy Tutin as Anne Boleyn and the very unfortunate young Katherine Howard, played by Angela Pleasence. I was surprised that she is the daughter of of Donald Pleasance. All of the episodes are outstanding, and are educational as well. Keith Mitchell plays Henry the VIII with all the conceited, bombastic, loving, hating and self-indulging qualities that history describes him as having. A must-see for lovers of drama, romance, and English History. 10 out of 10 stars easily.